The present invention relates generally to reusable medical apparatuses and, more particularly, to thermometry devices with memories and post-sale servicing of such medical apparatuses.
Many reusable medical apparatuses have a finite lifetime based on usage after which they either fail or become more prone to failure than is considered safe or effective for its intended purposes. In the case of a thermometry device, for example, the active components such as the temperature-measuring probe may fail after excessive use. In some cases, the life of these devices has been found to be more a function of the usage cycles or number of procedures than the cumulative usage time.
Therefore, in order to keep these devices in good working condition, users need to keep track of either or both: the cumulative usage time, and the usage cycles. Often times, a reusable device gets used well beyond its intended lifetime without being noticed, which compromises its accuracy in the case of a measuring or diagnostic device, or efficacy in the case of a therapeutic device. Record keeping, however, requires constant diligence and obviously can be burdensome to nurses, doctors, and other healthcare providers especially for devices that are often used in routine patient visits such as thermometers. Even if the user keeps good record of usage, significant delays still occur when records indicate it is time for replacement. The delay could happen at the user level, for example, due to effort to match a particular piece of device with its warranty information in order to find out the cost of replacement or repair. The delay could happen at the distributor level. Distributors sometimes wait for a significant amount of orders or returns to accumulate before they contact the manufacturer.
When a device actually malfunctions or fails, the repair or replacement task faces similar delays. Warranty information needs to be located, and there is still the question whether the distributor will act promptly. Further, without on-site diagnosis of the problem, it is often hard to order the right part or send for the right repair-crew.
On the manufacturer side, RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) calls are often the service call with the highest call volume. If these calls can be shortened or eliminated, for example, by allowing the user easy access to the right warranty information, much saving can be achieved.
Therefore, there is a need, unfulfilled by current products in the market, for a device or apparatus that assists in record-keeping of reusable medical apparatuses, in error diagnosis, and for expediting and simplifying the servicing and billing procedure for reordering parts or entire devices.